A common refrain during the David Eccles School of Business’s undergraduate and graduate convocation ceremonies on Saturday, May 3, was the necessity of adaptability: Life seldom goes exactly to plan, so those best able to adjust tend to be the most successful.

Another recurring theme during the back-to-back graduation events: The Eccles School does an exceptional job of preparing and equipping its students to be versatile and agile thinkers, capable of reacting to and flourishing in spite of changes and challenges.

Spencer Fox Eccles, Chairman & CEO, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, spoke in a prerecorded video and told the approximately 1,000 undergraduates and 800 graduate students about the journey of his grandfather — the school’s namesake. While David Eccles ultimately flourished as an entrepreneur (becoming the first multimillionaire in the state of Utah), he experienced plenty of setbacks along the way.

“But he also knew the power of resilience; no matter the setbacks, he never gave up. His strength and success were rooted in perseverance, learning from each failure, and living the old adage, ‘Try, try, and try again,’” said Eccles. “… I hope you’ll carry forward the lessons you’ve learned here: to honor and respect others, to share your success, and to never let failures define you.”

Graduate student speaker Rajeh Albugami, who comes from Saudi Arabia, told attendees of the times that his father would take he and his younger brother on drives through the desert, and how a unique geographic feature there came to be symbolic of the struggles he would face as a college student.

“The vast horizon revealed an endless sea of sand dunes that, from afar, seemed identical, [though] as you drew closer, each dune revealed its own unique shape, texture, and challenge. Some dunes you glided over effortlessly, while others caught you off guard, getting you stuck, and causing your tires to spin in the soft sand,” said Albugami. “But each time, you learned something new. You either adjusted your approach, reversed to try a different angle, or eased into a gentler slope. The lesson was clear: Success wasn’t about a flawless drive, it was about your ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape.”

After moving to the United States to pursue a college education, he already was facing some personal challenges when the pandemic hit. Albugami found himself behind on his coursework, struggling to find a place to live, and wondering whether his dream was over. A conversation with his father — who attended Saturday’s convocation — provided the perspective he needed.

“I realized I had two choices: either to give up on my dreams, or learn to adapt to this rapidly changing time,” said Albugami. “… When life’s dunes seem insurmountable, shift your perspective, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward.”

Kaylee Hodges, the undergraduate student speaker, grew up in Orange County, Calif., and expected to go to college in her home state. But her family moved to Utah for her junior year of high school, throwing those plans into chaos.

What began as an aggravation, however, became an opportunity once she embraced her new circumstances.

“Staying in Utah made the most sense — but that didn’t mean I was happy about it,” said Hodges. “What I didn’t know is that I would fall in love with my college experience. I didn’t know I would find my people, my purpose, and a place that would ultimately change my life.”

She recalled walking into the Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building for the first time and seeing the mantra “Doers Wanted” painted in big, bold letters above the main hallway — something she equated to “having my own movie moment epiphany.

“… To some it might just be a slogan, but to me, it was a reflection of something I have always known about myself: I don’t wait for things to happen, I work for them,” she said.

Hodges’ college experience was further bolstered when, during her sophomore year, she was accepted into the Opportunity Scholars program, which supports first-generation college students through mentorship, scholarships, and community. On Saturday, she left her fellow graduates with a bit of impassioned advice.

“Keep doing. Say yes to the hard things. Step into the unknown. Lead with courage,” said Hodges. “And wherever life takes you next, do all the good you can — with all the heart you have.”

Nick Marsh, Chair of the David Eccles Alumni Network Board, spoke of a far different sort of challenge.

Another California native, there was always an expectation in his household of getting a college education, it was just a matter of where. Being a football player, he noted, “opened doors to schools that I had no business getting into.”

His final decision came down to Stanford and Utah.

“My mother thought that it was an easy decision: ‘You got into Stanford; you go to Stanford,’” he recalled. “The valedictorian from my high school didn’t even get into Stanford, which I assume she still resents me for.”

Buoyed by the Utes’ Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama and his love of snowboarding, though, Marsh chose the U. Throughout his time in school, his mom frequently reminded him of his other options, and over the years would bring up “what could have been.”

Marsh loved his time at the U and the Eccles School, noting that it “molded me into who I am today.” But he also understood that so many others — as exemplified by his mom — didn’t get it. And so, he also endeavored to change … hearts and minds.

“When I graduated, I made a commitment — not only to prove her wrong, but to prove to myself that the choice I made was the right one. I decided the real value of my education would be shaped by what I put into it,” he said. “So I set two goals: 1. To use my business degree to build a successful career, and 2. to increase the value of my degree by strengthening the Eccles School’s reputation.”

Marsh is now a Global Sports and Entertainment Associate Director at Morgan Stanley and has now been in the Wealth Management business for over 10 years. And the Eccles School, he proudly boasted, “has exploded — the school’s reputation, student experience, and career outcomes have grown massively year over year.”

His call to action to graduates is to build a great career, tell prospective students about the Eccles School, mentor and guide a student through school, and be the connection that opens the door to a first job or next opportunity.

It worked out for him in the end, after all.

“Fast forward to today — my mom has stopped nagging me,” Marsh said with a smile. “… My mom is proud.”

Kurt Dirks, dean of the Eccles School, was the final speaker of the day and reiterated his pride in students’ ability to adapt, and the role the school played in teaching them some of those skills.

“Each of you faced your own hurdles — whether it was balancing work and school, dealing with personal challenges, pushing through moments of doubt, or perhaps something else. And yet, you kept moving forward,” he said.

“The mission of the David Eccles School of Business is not just to help you make this ascent, but also to help you make that next ascent,” he added. “What you have learned here, the experiences you have had, and the friends you have made, have prepared you. We know you are ready.”